small fortress

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This is my first Doom wad. please tell me how i can improve it. its also very small. I tested it in Gzdoom and Zdoom so it should work in those other sourceports im not sure. starts on map01. freelook, jump and crouch are ok its just a basic map. The iwad is doom 2. there are two secrets on the map. THERE ARE 3 SECRETS THEY DONT SHOW UP BECAUSE I DONT KNOW HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. This is not the final version

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1 ignore number 2 as it's very obviously 1000000000x more important to tell us what your map is actually designed for, not what you played/tested it in.

For an experienced mapper, yes.

But for new mappers, I can count at least a dozen times that someone has posted something described as 'vanilla-compatible' or for some other basic format that was only tested in (G)ZDoom and didn't work even in prBoom+. That is why I suggested that guideline in Discord at some point prior to that checklist being made.

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But for new mappers, I can count at least a dozen times that someone has posted something described as 'vanilla-compatible' or for some other basic format that was only tested in (G)ZDoom and didn't work even in prBoom+.

Exactly. That's why they need to make that mistake now and correct it rather than unknowingly make it over and over and over again (not to mention forcing people to play in whatever zdoom port they used).

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THERE ARE 3 SECRETS THEY DONT SHOW UP BECAUSE I DONT KNOW HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

Select the sectors, right click, and change their sector effects to 9. This marks them as secrets. Be careful though, making more sectors inside the secret sector may cause those sectors to also become secrets, leading to garbage secrets.

Also, based on the two videos above, it seems like you forgot to lock the door leading to the exit. This can be achieved by just using a locked door action. Just sift through the door actions, you'll see some about key colors and whatnot eventually.

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Congratulations on completing your first map. As a first map, it's OK. Don't get discouraged by other people releasing "first maps" that look complicated and advanced. They probably weren't their actual first maps. The bottom line is to keep trying and keep growing as a mapper.

Some things I liked it:

The green armor behind you at the start. It's there, but it's not automatic. The player just has to turn around, but that still requires the player to turn around.

The little nooks to either side of the main staircase. They're a nice touch. You could make them about 64 units high, so they're a little harder to spot, especially if you're just dashing up the stairs, and that would make them more of an alcove.

The chaingunner that comes down the stairs while you're fighting the sergeants and imps. It seems like an attempt at an ambush because if you didn't see the chaingunner, you could easily get hurt by it.

The door textures are lower unpegged, so they don't move up with your door. You'd be surprised how many first maps miss this.

Most of your textures were aligned. Again, you'd be surprised how many first-time mappers miss this.

Some things to improve:

You need to mark your secret areas as secret (at least the door to the area). It looks like you have about 3 or so rooms that are meant to be secret, but the map indicates none. So, there's no reason to go searching for something that's not there.

There's also nothing to indicate that your secret areas are there. You just have to press a wall and hope for the best.

The textures on the sides of the steps of the staircase aren't aligned. Sometimes you can get away with this, but not with the marble texture.

The texture on the edges of the wall that separate the main room from the staircase are different than the surrounding marble. It's ticky-tacky, but I would make them out of marble, as well.

The blood fountains on the walls in the first room don't match with the lava. I would suggest changing the floor in the first room from lava to blood and changing the texture so it has a bloody bottom (like the face fountain textures).